Vertical Rollerskating

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Message 12087 (6. Apr. 2010 06:10) (Tree)

biffsk8er
How many people skate?
Cool. Get his number next time you see him. Also, ask him if he knows me. If he does, it is the same guy.

Have you been skating lately, Tim??
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Robert: How many people skate? (3. Apr. 2010 07:14)
 Ok, I am curious how many people do you think vert rollerskate? I am asking because I posted something on my skateboard site about telling co workers or friends what you do. I have a hard enough time telling people I skateboard and none will ever get vert rollerskating. Do you think there are more than 40 of us worldwide? I am just asking because I want to brag about being one of the 40th best rollerskaters in the world. lol Besides your friends and family, do you tell others about what you do? Jay, I think your forearms might give a clue, but how do you describe it? lol
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h. ludi.: How many people skate? (3. Apr. 2010 12:38)
 i know what your on about, the most awkward bit is when you finally reveal to your work colleagues that its not really the kids your taking to the skatepark.
as for being part of a minority, spare a thought for lester from south australia. he is the only kneeboarder we know of, quite possibly the only one anywhere.
having said all that, i guess theres only 50 or so of us who know the feeling of ripping a big bowl and grabbing some air on the way, priceless.
pats on the back all round i say.
joe, you get an extra pat for being a true friend.
cheers all, H.
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Ben: How many people skate? (3. Apr. 2010 20:49)
 Well, as few vert skaters as there are, there are more than were around years ago. In 1976 when I first dropped into a bowl there were only 2 skateparks within 250 miles of Detroit and vert skaters??? Let me think for a nanosecond....oh yeah, me. Talkin' quad skaters here gang because rollerblades were yet to be invented. You made your own skates out of a few cannablized boards and some hockey boots and learned "on the job". Why not just buy some agressive quads? Mostly because no one was manufacturing any. I made skates for myself, my brother, several friends and a few people who would watch then ask "Where can I get a pair of those?". If you think we are an oddity today you shoulda' been there back in the day. Besides, as much as we like to make fun of the rollerbladers, they are showing up at the parks in numbers far beyond our own. Tough to admit but they are skating and every week I see younger kids on 8 wheels on the ramp eager to learn. Anyway you slice it, you can jump off a board, a skooter or a bike when the new trick goes south or the Grom jumps in out of turn. There' no jumping off a pair of tightly laced skates no matter how the 8 wheels are aligned. Hell, that' half the allure isn't it? Wish we had half, no 1/100th as many ready to try quads. Worldwide our craft is growing though and thanks to people like Bernard this forum stands in testimony therof. As long as we keep skating, keep talking and keep getting up after a perfectly executed one and a half twisting face plant vert skaters will go on. Roll on ......one more thing I would be remiss to omit, the captcha on this post is " and danger" OH Yeah!!!!
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Jay: How many people skate? (3. Apr. 2010 22:50)
  Hey Robert,
And Everyone else !
Yes, I'd say there are approx 40 of us worldwide. And, my forearms notwithstanding, I STILL can't explain to people what I/we do! LOL!

Check out this link with pics from a 1978 Marina RollerSkate Contest featuring Duke, Fred, Kenny Means, & LOTS of other skaters!

http://www.roadskates.com/?p=25

So there USED to be more of us right here in the States!
PEACE
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Robert: How many people skate? (4. Apr. 2010 19:45)
 Jay, that link was amazing. Those skaters were killing it. I have heard of Kenny Means, but never knew of him when I skated. There are so many skaters from the past that don't skate and I would love to know what they are doing these days. I skated with Paul Votava and it turns out that every old school skateboarder in San Diego remembers him. He is now in Panama and owns a restaurant.
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Bernhard: How many people skate? (4. Apr. 2010 20:21)
 Hey Jay,

thanks for the link. I have added it to the resources page.
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Bernhard: How many people skate? (4. Apr. 2010 20:55)
 : As long as we keep skating, keep talking and keep getting up after a perfectly executed one and a half twisting face plant vert skaters will go on.

Seconded and thirded. You are so right to the point. Just keep it up, there are quite some like-minded people elsewhere on this planet to whom we can connect thanks to the wonders of the net and it can only get better when your numbers are in the low count. The inliners experienced what comes after the big rise. I don't want this. Better a few dedicated roller skaters than the big mass of hipsters.
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Jay: How many people skate? (4. Apr. 2010 22:44)
  Bernard,
I couldn't agree with you more! I don't WANT to be "IN" because then we'll eventually be "out". This Sport induces such a Passion in it's True devotees that we're still doing it 30....40 years + on !
I refer to some of the Greats....... Irene Ching, Duke Rennie, Brian Wainwright, Jay Tubb... to name just a few. People that did it before anyone else did & STILL Sk8! For the Love of Vert & 8 Wheels!

PEACE....
Jay
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biffsk8er: How many people skate? (5. Apr. 2010 06:34)
 I've been skating vert since around 1987 or there abouts. Until recently, I only knew of Alan Oates, who was the one that inducted me into vert quad roller skating. Since discovering all of you true die hards here online, I'd have top say that my estimate of our numbers has risen to maybe 30 active skaters world wide at any given time.

I know that there are more...total, but not during any one year. If you include roller derby girls who participate half a$$ed, then that number might go into the hundreds. However, I've never known any derby girls that are serious about vert skating. It is always off and on with them.

My top guess would be thirty five world wide.
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Bernhard: How many people skate? (5. Apr. 2010 09:36)
 I'm pretty sure that in Spain alone your top estimate is surpassed. So my guess would be more than 100 active roller skaters. Today. More in the Eighties.
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Beer Hunter: How many people skate? (6. Apr. 2010 01:24)
  Interesting, I met a guy named Alan at the Jaws skatepark in New Braunfels. He and his wife skateboard together and have been at the park twice while I was skating. He talked about having done vert roller back in the day and said that he still has his old pair of skates. When I asked why he stopped roller skating, his reply was simply that he was tired of skating by himself...as in not having other people who also skate quads to session with. I bet this is the same dude you are talking about here, Biff.

I tried to find some videos of him on his board but have come up empty so far. The last time I saw him was maybe 3 weeks ago, and he did seem very interested in my new skate setup!
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biffsk8er: How many people skate? (6. Apr. 2010 06:10)
 Cool. Get his number next time you see him. Also, ask him if he knows me. If he does, it is the same guy.

Have you been skating lately, Tim??
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biffsk8er: How many people skate? (6. Apr. 2010 06:11)
 Well then, let's all move to Spain!!
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Beer Hunter: How many people skate? (6. Apr. 2010 15:23)
 I will see about getting his number when next we meet.

Yep, every week I go to the park, sometimes twice a week! I have not really learned anything new in a long time so have not had anything to post up about lately... just polishing up what I can do and making it smoother.
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